Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-10
an FATE OF \ MORMON GIRL
The Story of Mary lee and OF he
Two Lovers.
ryon tic Ve9o Yoyk S"H.

r,.p1cuo VALLEY, UTAH, March
SIXTEEN years ago Samuel Bates WI
mon. then the possessor Of two wives' I'M =,
- lane. the latter being childless, ooh
werv Lee. an orphan, to bring up aco'o-
,a~ 70 the rites of the Church of the latter
~ saints. AS Ann had many cbldreh
% comfort her the babe was piueu ~
charge of Jane, deYout Mormon n1 rn,,ts
cnal - the faith. Mary Lees parents
JUL from England. Her mothr was
VII little woman, well renem oered
W r,apy here as a fearful anf unhappy
w . Times we're hard YIth them
pphan thev first appeared mere, anu
49, crew harder for some reSon. JusI
her husband was about 10 TAKE
Sooond wife. evidently againf the wishes
eS 70 AZ oomnanion of his yolth, ne was
u Iiu "a IN a snow slide. and hree months
Ht.nr +bat his widow died, SINE salu OF
sno,ion heart. leaving little Mary alOneln
~ Horid Samuel Bates vas something
sn0 mon among the Normons. he
y. oaIIed Brother Bates. His hrst Wlie
""s a hard. coarse woman, but Jane, TO
I'm the little orphans went, was tenuer,
rather good looking, an( nllea WIN a
stern intending faith in the olVlhlGy y,
her religion and determination 10 I'VE
il 70 the end. The child whlch tnus leIi
n her partook OF her dead mothers aispo-
sitiou. AS she grew 10 WON EhHoou sue
became fair to degree net often seen Ill
these parts, but in spirit she was glooihy'
sad. and reticent. SURROUNDED " MoI
mons and taught by the plous 1%ne, sue
h mus olmost a fanatic on the subject OF
clifton herself. and readily accepted ali
that was instilled into her mihu as 'uo
inspiration of the Lord.
4 wear or two ago Mary Lee became &C
nsinted with young man living IN
Aninpcam not far from here, Gentlie,
nSconrse. as no Mormon delVes Tor 9old
and silver. The youth, Seth Bentley by
name. rarely lost an opportunity 10 pay
tho oirl little attentions, sud at length u
hecsme the rumOr that he was hef &C
rented lover. She would stroll away to
me foot hills to meet aim; OF evenings
thew would be seen by the mountain
brook which winds through the town, and
nm Sunday afternoons, particularly when
BROTHER Bates was away from home, they
would be riding or walking together.
lane made nc opposition to the Intimacy,
but when Brother Bates attention
was called to the matter he felt that
II was his duty to interfere. Little Dy
little James mind was won over 10 ms
wav of thinking, though at first she had
been unsuspectIng. Bently was forbidden
the house and the girl was told that she
must never meet him again. But they
met after this, not as a result of Mary's
djsobedience, hut by reason of Bently's
persistence. He found her one day last
summer down by the brook, and when
she would have run from him he caught
her, and holding her closely, he told her
of his affection for her, and entreated her
to become his wife, and in return re-
ceived some encouragement. From that
time on they met occasionally, unknown
TO Brother Bates or to Jane.
In September Brother Bates went to
New Mexico ON AN eXhertation tour, and
when he returned in October be brought
back with him Mormon Elder named
Crafty, who, seeing Mary Lee, bethought
/ him that be would like 10 take another
wife, his fifth, and be accordingly
4 preached the subject to her on the second
day after his arrival. The girl repealed
him with horror, but he pressed his suit,
and at length brought Brother Bates TO
4 his assistance. AT first Jane opposed the
proposition. She was a sincere Mormon,
but her affection for her foster child got
the better OF her faith for time, and
until she could be placated Elder Crafty
had to hang his harp on the willow. The
means resOrted to TO bring Jane to see
the error OF her ways are familiar to all
who have had Intercourse with
the strange people who inhabit
these valleys. Brother Bates had vision.
Then Elder Crafty had a vision. Then a
bishop who was passing through Jericho
Valley had vision. Then the Sunday
school superintendent, the Sunday school
teachers, and the local elders and mis-
slonares had visions. By singular con-
sensus OF opinion all had seen the same
thlng. Mary Lee was Gods choice for Elder
Cratty's wife. Still the girl, now most of
tne time In tears, like her unhappy mother,
ueaG sixteen years, shrank from the
pfo1er OF the visitor, and her foster
mother, the kindly Misrepresentation Jane,
sui demurred, though growing weaker
and weaker In her opposition.
Inc visions falling of the desired effect,
Elder Crafty and Brother Bates went up
into the mountains some time last month.
ana, tasting for fourteen days and nights.
they Wrestled with the Lord, and at the
ehd OIL their vigil they were rewarded by
seeing great light and hearing a voice
from heaven saying that Elder Crafty
suouiu lake Mary Lee to wife, and that
iurther delay would be both unseemly
ana dlepleasing TO the Lord. With this
revelation and the further assurance
tlaI spirit mad appeared unto Crafty in
a Vision saying that II Mary Lee would
lit MIN she would receive the requi-
9 9ou anection ior her husband by praying
lor II 10 the temple, the two wendell their
way homeward and communicated to
lngs. gnu ie''-
IN the face of such undoubted evidence
vi tne LORDS approval that good woman
oouiu say no more, and taking the girl 10
G Sne sac she advised her to give up her
s 1Iintile lover and cling to the husband
p U. Ior her by God, who had
PruniIseu MS servants that il she did not
I'VE MN now the spirit would confer
at her nuptials. "p'A Aei
hon Lee's own faith was strong. and
S SeI Inclination to follow the teachings Of
r NC. IehglOn was great; but 1t took MANY
tho interviews to bring her to admit
n,S oS sue mad decided to obey the com.
sant When she at last gave her con-
isv o mere was much joy In Jericho Val
Cc .1 Hnu great company was made up 10
t ~ Si1ng with the wedding party to the
an p' a. ihey We're to start by wagons
~ va monday morning,
tsip len ren inc sun came up over the mount.
dow "hge mat morning it saw Mary Lee
stonn 9y the brook. revolver i'm hand.
nioSs dead. She HAD risen during the
wSan, ana having sought secluded snot
tskon sue sue and Bentiy often met ,tshe had
All ~ ner appeal at once to the Judge of
permIt earIn' Her religion would not
choice ner 10 marry the man OF her
Sgains, th nu ner womanhood reVolted
earthly i Iue aillance hlch, according to